Speech-Language Therapist
Kaihaumanu Reo ā-Waha
Alternative titles for this job
Speech-language therapists assess and treat people who have problems with verbal communication or swallowing. This may include difficulties with speech, language, listening, reading or writing.
Pay
Speech-language therapists usually earn
$55K-$119K per year
Source: Te Whatu Ora/DHBs and NZEI, 2022 - 2025.
Job opportunities
Vocational PathwaysPay
Pay for speech-language therapists varies depending on experience and where they work.
Speech-language therapists working for Te Whatu Ora Health NZ (former DHBs)
- Speech-language therapists usually earn $58,000 to $86,000 a year.
- Senior speech-language therapists who supervise staff can earn $87,000 to $119,000.
Speech-language therapists working in schools
- Speech-language therapists working as interns usually earn $55,00 a year. In April 2024 this will rise to $57,000 a year.
- Speech-language therapists can earn $68,000 to $115,000 a year. In April 2024 this will rise to $70,000 to $118,000 a year.
Sources: Auckland Region District Health Boards/PSA, ‘Allied, Public Health, Scientific & Technical Multi Employer Collective Agreement, expires 30 June 2023’, District Health Boards/PSA, ‘Allied, Public Health, Scientific & Technical Multi Employer Collective Agreement, expires 30 June 2023’, 2022; and NZEI, 'Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa Collective Agreement for Field Staff from 2023 - 2025'.
- NZEI website 'Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa Collective Agreement for Field Staff from 2023 - 2025 (PDF -778 KB)
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our pay information)
What you will do
Speech-language therapists may do some or all of the following:
- assess and diagnose communication problems such as stuttering
- co-ordinate and plan treatments
- help clients learn to speak, listen, read or write
- lead group therapy sessions
- help children and adults learn to swallow and eat
- report on their clients
- educate and advise clients and their families.
Skills and knowledge
Speech-language therapists need to have knowledge of:
- English or other languages
- how the brain, mouth, throat and voice box function
- medical conditions that can affect speech
- psychology and education theory, and child development and health
- community and family support services, and where to refer their clients.
Working conditions
Speech-language therapists:
- usually work regular business hours, but may also work evenings
- work in therapy clinics or at locations such as schools, rest homes and hospitals.
What's the job really like?
Speech-language therapist video
Brynlea Collin Stone talks about her job as a speech-language therapist - 2.05 mins
Speech and language therapy is a real intersection of education and medicine, and that’s something I was looking for when I was leaving school.
One of my favourite things to do at work is the session we’re doing this morning. That’s a time we spend with some of our students who are pre-intentional communicators. And that means that they don’t necessarily recognise that their behaviour can be interpreted by other people as communication. So we’re supporting them to develop their intentional communication skills.
So basically by us being really good communicators and spending time with them showing them responsively what being a good communicator is about – so that’s sharing space with them, maybe imitating them selectively, we only choose the things that we want to reinforce, that are good communication skills, then they learn that those things can connect them to other people.
One of the biggest challenges is actually sharing information with other staff members. So the work that I do will only make a difference for the students if they are able to be exposed to the kind of language input all day long through their day, so sharing information with the staff members and the families as well is one of the more difficult aspects.
Working as a speech and language therapist has a huge variety of benefits, for a whole lot of different clients. The speech and language therapist is often the person who will spend the most time with a patient or a client, and one of the professionals who sees them first, both in the medical world and the educational world. And it’s a helping profession. Again, that’s something that’s important for me.
Entry requirements
To become a speech-language therapist you need to have one of the following:
- Bachelor's degree in speech and language pathology (Hons)
- Bachelor's degree in speech and language therapy (Hons)
- Master's degree in speech and language pathology
- Master's degree in speech-language therapy practice.
- Vulnerable Children Act
The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with, children.
Secondary education
A tertiary entrance qualification is required to enter further training. Useful subjects include biology, chemistry, English, languages and te reo Māori.
Personal requirements
Speech-language therapists need to be:
- patient and supportive
- able to put people at ease
- good communicators
- able to relate to people of all ages, and from a range of cultures and backgrounds.
Useful experience
Work with young children is useful experience.
Registration
Registration with the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association (NZSTA) is recommended. NZSTA provides Annual Practising Certificates for members.
Find out more about training
- New Zealand Speech-language Therapists' Association
- (09) 475 0214 - admin@speechtherapy.org.nz - www.speechtherapy.org.nz
Check out related courses
What are the chances of getting a job?
Newly qualified speech-language therapists usually find work within a year of finishing study.
Experienced speech-language therapists have a good chance of finding work.
Fixed-term speech-language therapy work is often available.
According to the Census, 942 speech-language therapists worked in New Zealand in 2018.
Demand for speech-language therapists steady
Demand for speech-language therapists is steady because:
- New Zealand's ageing population means that speech-language therapists are needed to help older patients, such as stroke victims, to recover speech and language functions
- more private practices are opening to help school children and new entrants who cannot be treated through the public health service.
Speech-language therapist appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled speech-language therapists from overseas to work in New Zealand.
Most speech-language therapists employed by government agencies
Most speech-language therapists work for the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of Health. Other employers include:
- private speech-language therapy practices
- charitable trusts
- universities
- schools.
Sources
- Collinstone, B, speech-language therapist, Careers New Zealand interview, November 2016.
- Immigration New Zealand, Green List, April 2023, (www.immigration.govt.nz).
- NZ Speech-language Therapists' Association website, accessed November 2020, (www.speechtherapy.org.nz).
- NZ Speech-language Therapists' Association, 'How to Become an SLT?', accessed November 2020, (www.speechtherapy.org.nz).
- Rotherham, A, president, NZ Speech-language Therapists' Association, careers.govt.nz interview, 20 November 2020.
- Sayers, T, 'NZ Special-Needs Education at 'Crisis Point' ', 30 September 2016, (www.stuff.co.nz).
- Stats NZ, '2018 Census Data', 2019.
(This information is a guide only. Find out more about the sources of our job opportunities information)
Progression and specialisations
Speech-language therapists may progress to work in managerial or research roles. They may also move between work in the education and health industries.
Speech-language therapists may specialise in a field of work, or work with particular groups of people such as:
- children (paediatrics)
- the elderly
- children and adults who have physical disorders such as difficulties swallowing, or cleft lips or palates.
Speech-language therapists need to be able to relate to a wide variety of people
Last updated 12 December 2023